August 26, 2013

The candidate: Veteran Jim Mowrer, a DemocratThe member:Mowrer is challenging Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.The district: Iowa’s 4th District is rated Safe Republican by the Rothenberg Political Report/CQ Roll Call. The district is located in northwest Iowa and is the largest geographically of the state’s four House districts.The candidate’s team: Ben Nesselhuf (campaign manager), Andrew Feldman (communications), Revolution Media (media), New Blue Interactive (digital media)

Veteran Jim Mowrer, a Democrat, called Rep. Steve King’s recent controversial comments on immigration “mean-spirited” and argued he would be a better fit for the Hawkeye State’s most conservative House district.

If DeMaio runs for mayor — an office the former city councilmember lost to Filner by a slim margin last year — it would hurt the House GOP’s chances in the competitive 52nd District. The National Republican Congressional Committee had touted DeMaio as a top recruit against freshman Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif. Full story

The Republican field in California’s competitive 7th District is poised to grow after Labor Day, with two prospective candidates planning to make announcements about the race.

Former Rep. Doug Ose, a Republican who represented a large portion of the redrawn 7th District from 1999 until 2005, is expected to make an announcement on his plans for the race after Labor Day, according to a source close to Ose’s campaign. The source would not confirm whether Ose plans to run, but other operatives in the Golden State say Ose is likely to enter the race. Full story

Former New Hampshire state Speaker Bill O’Brien, a Republican, has ruled out a challenge to Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, D-N.H., according to WMUR.

Some Granite State Republican operatives welcomed O’Brien’s decision given another potential candidate, former state Sen. Gary Lambert, is eyeing the race. These Republicans argue the party might avoid a competitive GOP primary this way. Full story

Attorney Bryan Smith earned the Club for Growth’s first major endorsement of the 2014 cycle, but he said he made the decision to challenge one of Speaker John A. Boehner’s top allies in Congress independently of the cash-flush, conservative group.

“People that I know apparently had submitted my name and then I did get a call from the Club for Growth,” Smith said in a Monday interview at the CQ Roll Call offices. “I did go back and interview with them. But I made the decision independent from the Club for Growth.” Full story

Facing a spirited Republican primary challenge in Kentucky, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellreleased a poll on Thursday that found he still has the support of more than two-thirds of GOP voters.

McConnell led Louisville businessman Matt Bevin, 68 percent to 21 percent, with 8 percent of voters undecided. Given the six-term incumbent’s superior name ID, his wide lead is not surprising.

But the internal poll offered the incumbent some encouraging numbers among the primary voters likely to be Bevin’s base. According to the campaign’s polling memo, the lead holds up across several several demographic segments of the party, including “very conservative” voters and “Tea Party Republicans.” Full story

August 21, 2013

Democratic operative Mark Bergman is leaving Mission Control, a top Democratic direct mail firm, to become the communications director for Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz’s 2014 gubernatorial bid in Pennsylvania. Full story

FreedomWorks, a national organization aligned with the tea party, took its second shot at Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, this summer as part of a digital advertisement campaign targeting several GOP senators.

“Now some are getting cold feet,” FreedomWorks continued. “Senator John Cornyn – one of the original supporters – has bowed to the Republican Establishment and no longer wishes to help Senator Lee. Why is Senator Cornyn withdrawing his support for Mike Lee?”